To Survive
by Ashten Knight
Summary: What if Newt wasn't the only surviver? What if there was one person with military training on LV 426? This is her story and the story of those she protects. HicksXOC oneshot. may or maynot make a sequal.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Aliens or any of the characters in it sadly. i do however own Diana, and any other character that does not make an appearance in the movies. thank you.

Diana looked around the compound on LV-426 with distaste, of all the places to be assigned why did she have to get this one? Diana was a soldier, a marine trained to protect and die for civilians. Though on this deserted planet she really didn't have any use. Diana cracked her neck and sighed as yet another long boring shift ended. Though there were no physical threats anywhere in the compound Diana always was armed to the teeth. And this would be the day that she would need to be. An alarm started sounding calling all soldiers and armed personal to the medical bay. Diana smirked, finally some action, and ran to the bay.

When she arrived there was a man no older than forty lying dead on the table, his chest was cracked outward as if something had burst from it, then she saw it, the face-hugger that a few others had come back with in the past, lying near his table. Diana tucked herself against the wall as the other soldiers arrived. The door swished open and a small almost unnoticeable creature ran out. Diana's eyes widened. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" The male soldiers and the doctors ignored Diana, she growled in frustration before running out of the room, after the small creature. She had recognized the man on the table, everyone knew everyone on this planet there, after all were only 158 other inhabitants of the planet. He was her neighbor, she was good friends with his daughter Newt. Diana sighed and leaned against the wall, the chase was pointless she couldn't track the creature, let alone see it. Diana thumped her head against the wall, and sighed, she would have to tell the others but fat chance that they would believe her. Diana was the youngest of the soldiers, at 20, and the only woman. Diana resolutely marched back to the med bay and pushed into the middle of the group and stood by the now prone body of the man she had seen as a father and glared daggers at the men around her. Once her eyes landed on the doctor she motioned him over. "What was the creature that burst from his chest?" The doctor shrugged looking shaken and Diana nodded. She looked around the group of men once again and took a deep breath. "Listen to me, and listen well." The men looked at her a couple chuckled. "This is no laughing matter. I believe that it is safe to assume that what ever creature came out of him, is hostile and should be hunted down immediately." The men laughed. "It was a wee thing I'm sure girly, it'll die off before anything can happen." A man with an Irish accent said with a smirk, the men around him nodded in agreement Diana sighed. "Do you really think that that was as big as the creature would get? I have a feeling that it was just a baby. It'll get bigger I'm sure, and we should eliminate it before it becomes a hazard." There was no answer and Diana huffed before storming by them and going back to her apartment. Things were going to get tight soon, and she wasn't going to get caught with her pants down.

Diana hesitated outside the Marachuk's door. Before she could change her mind, Diana rang the bell. After a moment the door opened and John's wife stood before her. "Hey mom…" The woman wrapped her arms around Diana and sobbed into her shoulder. "He's gone Diana…John's gone." Diana held the older woman and walked into the apartment and sat down with her. "I'm so sorry…" Rebecca walked into the room, teary eyed and ran to Diana's side burying her head in her other shoulder. Diana held on to the two and rubbed their backs, silently spilling her own tears at the loss. Soon the boy, John Jr, walked in and laid his head in her lap. Soon the four fell into a cry induced sleep, and didn't wake for several hours. What did wake them was an alarm sounding from Diana's side. Trouble. Diana stood and glanced at the family. "I'll be back. I have a killer to hunt down." The last words were growled out as she stormed out to the apartment checking and rechecking her equipment and weapons. "I'm on my way." She said into a mic. Clipped to her shoulder. Her raido buzzed. "I think you may have been right D. We have a vic here with a hole in his head that no weapon we posses could make." Diana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Where's the vic?" She said into the mic. "Block D. number 43." Diana nodded to herself. "Roger over and out." Static. Diana jumped on to a motorcycle like vehicle and sped her way to block D.

She entered Apartment 43 and almost gagged, Jerremy, a boy she had grown up with, lay in a pool of his own blood, a hole in his head. She looked away. "Look at that hole in the ceiling." Mike said at her side. She had often worked with Mike and knew he was a nice guy. She looked at the ceiling and frowned, that hole was too big for the small creature she had seen earlier, was it fully grown now? Or would it get bigger? "Mike…" he glanced down at her. "Yeah?" His voice was smooth as always and carried his concern. "We're fucked." Mike arched an eye brow and she looked at all the people present. "Okay people listen up, I need the plans of the complex and I need them now, I want to know each and every way in and out of this area." Mike smirked at her. That was his girl, taken charge, or at least trying to. "You heard her people move it!" Everyone scurried into action. "Lets find a bigger place to talk." Mike nodded and they moved out. "Regroup in the graphing room in ten." Diana shouted as they left. Once in the hall and away from the smell of death Diana sighed. "I'm sorry about your loss D. I know he was a friend." Mike rested a hand on her shoulder and Diana shrugged it off. "We need to find and corner this creature before anyone else…" Diana was about to say Dies but a scream from down the hall cut her off. Diana glanced at Mike then took off running to the room. She kicked it open in time to see a fully grown alien dragging a woman through a hole. She was to late. Mike stared in shock at what happened. "Okay D. You're right we're FUCKED." Diana growled at him. "No shit. Track her using the PDT. Have everyone come to the Control. No one leaves." Mike nodded and started repeating her orders over his mic. Diana walked over to the hole sighed. Many of the people in the complex out ranked her, But Diana had more experience in the field than most. At the ripe young age of twenty she had already been on numerous missions, this one was supposed to be down time for her. 'There goes my vacation' She thought with a rue full smile. "Everyone I am taking charge, if you don't like to damn bad. But I've been trained for the situations." Diana said into her radio mic. "Everyone to control, evac. The civilians too." She muted the radio after so she could concentrate as she drove back to the main building.

Twenty minutes later only half her people showed, no civilians save for the Marachuk's. They had come. "Newt." The little blond haired girl looked up at Diana and she kneeled down. "Newt, if anything happens I want you to take your brother and mother and find a place to hide. Somewhere small where big things can't get okay?" She nodded and Diana stood and handed her mother a semi auto rifle. The older woman smiled at Diana. "We'll stay close to you Diana." Diana nodded and looked around at the men. "More people are going to die and disappear, we need to be ready to Evac EVERYONE. How much weapons does this place have?" The men shrugged and Diana rubbed her face. "I want all the information on anything and everything about this place by 900 hours okay?" The men nodded in unison and Mike winked at her. "D. You were just promoted to Corporal right?" Diana nodded. "So what?" Mike shrugged and walked away. Off to do his duties. Newt walked over to Diana's side and looked up at her. "Are we going to be okay?" Diana knelt down in front of the child and sighed. "I don't know Newt. But I promise that I won't let anything happen to you." Newt nodded. "Cross your heart." Diana smirked a little. "And hope to die." Newt wrapped her arms around Diana and Diana stood, picking up Newt with her. "Mike!" He poked his head back in the door. "Yeah?" Diana looked down at the computer. "Has anyone scanned for, Lisa Cammorans PDT?" Mike shook his head. "I want that done first please. If she's alive we have to get her." Mike nodded and looked at the broken family. "She'll be alive." Diana nodded and looked at Mrs. Marachuk. "I don't want you guys to go anywhere with out me, or one of my men with you." She nodded and Diana set Newt down. "Are you going to save the lady?" Diana smiled and brushed some hair out of the girls face. "Yeah. We're gonna save her." A loud curse echoed into the room. "Diana! Shit!! WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS!" Diana stood and grabbed a weapon from the table. "Stay here. The small family nodded and she ran into the room and stood over Mike. "She's under the primary heat exchange, and she's not alone, there are at least seven others there with her." Diana growled at herself. "SHIT." She took five steps away from him. "Are they alive or dead?" mike shrugged. "Unknown." Diana punched the wall. "DAMN." She thought quickly her eyes darting to the screen and back. "Okay. I want a small team armed with flame throwers only. Now. If they are alive I want them back here, if they are dead…burn their bodies." Mike nodded and began calling in men to be part of the team. "I'll be running the show from operations…" She said into her radio. "If I give you an order you better fucking follow it, any questions?"

The next eight weeks were hell for everyone, most people did as they were told, but those who didn't died. They learned that the creatures the aliens came out mostly at dark, and that was the time to be fully prepared for battle, or death. Diana had tried to save as many as she could, the first rescue mission had been a complete failure, the entire team had been massacred as well as the survivors. It was down to Diana, Newt and Mrs. Marachuk. Timmy had died a week before and neither of the remaining girls would talk to Diana. She knew they blamed her, and the healing hole in her side was the proof that she had tried to save him. Some how for the next week she had still been able to fight and kill some of the Aliens, but now they spent most of their time in hiding. Diana was beginning to slow down, the wound wasn't infected but the damaged muscles were only getting worse. Diana sat down in the corner of the room so she could see every entrance and exit. It was dawn and she could hear the aliens retreating for the day as they always did. She stayed in the same position for over two hours before she let her guard drop enough for her to get some sleep. Newt and her mother were on the other side of the room.

Diana woke some time later to a scream above her. Newt was screaming and about to climb out of the vent when Diana grabbed her and pulled her back covering her mouth. "Don't make any noise unless you want them down here too." Diana whispered into her ear. Newt stopped making noise and stopped moving. Once all sound had halted once again Diana stood. "Stay here Newt." Diana strapped on her weapons. "Where are you going?" Diana looked at Newt it was the first time she had spoken to her in a week. "To get your mother back." Newt immediately wrapped her arms around Diana's leg. "Don't go. You'll die!" Diana stopped what she was doing and kneeled down. "Are you sure Newt?" The young girl nodded and Diana sighed. She limped back to her corner and sat down, Newt in her lap. Diana drifted to sleep once more, her arms protectively clasped around Newt. No one and nothing would take Newt from her.

She woke again some time later probably around noon, when she heard people moving about above her. "Newt." She shook the small girl awake. "Newt the rescue team has finally arrived. We can stop hiding and get off this rock." Newt nodded but said nothing, once again she had withdrawn into herself. Diana strapped on some more of her weapons and slowly crawled out of the back entrance of the vent, they would come around to meet the group. It was a short walk and when they reached the front entrance again, the 'rescue team was well armed and looking for something. "I'll cross first Newt." The small girl nodded and Diana walked out only to be shot at, Newt dashed across and hid. Diana hit the wall and fell to the floor, gripping her right arm, they had only seen Newt. "FUCK." One of the men shouted. "Hold up." Said another, more attractive man. "Ripley." A woman came over when she was called the two crept over to where Newt was huddled and Diana lifted her weapon and coughed. "The pair looked up at her with shock. "Now you're going to leave her alone. Newt, go home and hide." Every word was accented with pain or a deep breath. The little girl nodded and began crawling and the marines tried to catch her. The man that was beside Ripley, had jerked the weapon from Diana's hand, and she had let him do it. "Fuck." He said as he saw the bullet wounds on her shoulder and arm. "I've had worse." Diana said with a false smile. "We need to get you to medical." Diana rolled her eyes. Diana winced and gasped in pain when He picked her up and carried her away. The others looked at her in surprise. "Two survivors?" One man asked as they passed.

The table she was set on was cold, and her vision was beginning to blur. "I'm Hicks and this is Bishop." The man said pointing from himself to an android. "What's your name?" Diana shook her head trying to clear it. "My name…I..I am Corporal Diana Shifflette, lone military survivor and protector of the lone civilian survivor." Bishop and Hicks looked at each other in surprise. "Corporal?" Diana nodded and Bishop got out a needle and filled it with something. "This is morphine it will dull the pain when we remove the bullets." Diana nodded and Bishop injected the med into her arm, her body lurched when it hit her heart and spread through her body. "Hicks, can you remove her shirt please?" Hicks looked at bishop like he was nuts. Diana picked up a knife with her left hand cut straight through the shirt, exposing her army green bra to them as well as the multitudes of wounds. "SHIT." A man said off to her right. "Get out of here Hudson." Hicks snapped the other man raised his hands in surrender and backed out. "Where did you get these?" Bishop asked, though he already knew the answer. "What ever the hell those things are that killed everyone." Diana shook her head again trying to clear it. "How long ago?" Diana opened her eyes and stared at them. "If you're going to fix me up do it. Don't sit here and talk, we don't have time for that." Bishop nodded and began to remove the bullets and stitch her up. Hicks had to hold her down for part of it cause her muscles began to spasm. Diana soon began to drift on the edges of unconsciousness and soon she was being shaken awake. "Diana." Diana groaned at the sound of her name. "Diana. We need you awake." She was shook again and her eyes flecked open for a moment. "Ugh, did anyone get the plate on that train?" A low chuckle sounded next to her and Diana opened her eyes fully and stared at Hicks. "Am I in heaven?" Diana looked down and shook her head. "No I guess not." Hicks looked at her and handed her a shirt. "Here…some of the…" Diana nodded and pulled it on careful of her wounds. "I know. Don't worry bout me Mr. Hicks." "Dwayne." Diana looked up and tipped her head to the side. "My name is Dwayne." Diana smiled and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you Dwayne." She looked around the room, some one had seriously cleaned her up while she was asleep. "What have I missed?" Diana asked as she stood. "We're looking for the other colonists." Diana froze. "You'll die if you do." Hicks arched an eyebrow. "Do you know where they are?" Diana looked away and sighed. "No, but I can tell you that they're all dead."

"YO! Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen! Found them." Hudson called from Ops. Diana's head snapped up and she ran into the room, followed by Hicks. "They alive?" The lieutenant asked. "Unknown, but it looks like all of them." Diana reached for her side but found all of her weapons had been removed. She looked around her wildly until Hicks pressed a gun into her hand. "Don't worry." Diana nodded she probably looked like a scared rabbit. "They're over at the processing station, sub-level three under the main cooling towers." Hicks stared at the screen. "It looks like a goddamn town meeting." The lieutenant smirked. "Let's saddle up, Apone." The black man stood and nodded. "Aye, sir….Alright let's go, they ain't payin' us by the hour. Head 'em out." He headed out of the room and started giving orders. Diana looked at the lieutenant and held his gaze. I'm coming with you." She turned her attention to Hicks. "Where are my weapons?" Hicks smirked at her. "Over on that table there." Diana looked down at her right arm and sighed. "I'm going to need some help." He nodded and helped her strap on her armor and strap on her guns. Her models were older than his, and he saw her eyeing the gun with interest. "When we get back I'll issue you one." Diana's eyes brightened and she grinned. "Sweet." Hicks strapped a dagger to her side. "Just in case." She nodded gasped his hand that was still on her side. They stood like that a moment, staring into each other's eyes. "Okay let's move it out. Move it Hicks!" Diana and Hicks pulled away at the same time, and began moving out with the others into the vehicle. Diana sat next to Newt and smiled at her. "How're you feeling babe?" Newt didn't answer but just stared ahead at the other side. Diana winced and turned away. Ripley saw this and sighed. "What happened. I take it you two were close." Diana looked at the floor. "I failed to save her brother and mother. She hates me now." Diana took a deep breath and sat down next to Hicks. He pumped his rifle and glanced at Diana. She pulled out a flame thrower and winked. "I like things hot." The men around her chuckled, and Hicks rolled his eyes at the joke. The ride was smooth and fast, and once the armored car stopped, Diana's heart beat picked up. "You okay?" Hicks asked from her side. Diana nodded and stood as they walked out. "I want you in my squad…stay behind me." Hicks said, Diana nodded and stretched out her senses. "I want a straight V deployment second team on left flank Advance on Axial six-six-four." The lieutenant's voice echoed to her through her helmet. "Tracker on-line. Set the V-gain to filter R-F ambient." Everyone was quiet you could barley even hear their feet hit the metal floor. "Hudson, tracker online, left and right little buddy." Apone's voice echoed into her ear. Diana began to tune out what was being said by the higher ranking members. Once they came to the stairwell Diana scooted a little closer to Hicks. "You alright?" A shiver racked through her body. "Peachy. Be careful Dwayne. I know that there are going to be a lot of those _things_ down there." Vasquez heard her and sped up some. "You know something we don't?" Diana looked at the woman and nodded. "Those collinists are dead." Vasquez nodded. "Be on guard." She nodded and began to spread the word. At the bottom of the stair well the nest began. Everyone was looking around at the strange mess that covered the walls and ceiling. Diana stepped up next to Hicks. "I've got your back." He glanced at her. "I've got yours." They began to walk inside Diana and Hicks were behind Hudson and their eyes were scanning the walls. "Tighten it up, Frost. We're getting a little thin." They continued to walk down the hall. "It looks like some sort of secreted resin." Dietrich said looking at a piece of the goo. Hicks looked around cautiously. "Yeah, but secreted from what?" Diana looked at him and shook her head. "Don't wanna know." Frosts eyes darted over the walls. "Hot as hell in here." Hudson the ever sarcastic moron smiled . "Yeah…But it's a dry heat." They were getting closer to the civilians Diana could feel it. Her eyes continued to dart around, catching the individual shapes of the aliens. "They're all over the place." Suddenly the Lieutenants voice crackled over the radios. "We can't have any firing in there. Apone, I want you to collect magazines from everybody." Diana flinched. "SHIT." Diana mumbled and hid her magazines and guns. "Is he fuckin' crazy?" Hudson said looking around at the walls. Frost looked ticked. "What the hell are we supposed to use, harsh language." Diana rolled her eyes, they already had that part down. "Flame units only I want rifles slung." Diana sighed and pulled out a modified version of the flame thrower so she had two. "NO granades either." Diana glared at the walls. "Fuck Him." That simple phrase had everyone look at her. "He's not my commander. Mines dead. I'm keeping my weapons." Diana pressed on passing everyone while Apone collected the magazines. Hicks pulled out a shot gun and looked at Frost then to Diana. "I like to keep this handy for close encounters." Diana smirked and cracked her neck as they moved on. Nothing was moving, but Diana knew they were there in the walls. Diana walked slowly and perpousfully through the mess until Hicks picked up one of the face huggers. Diana had the flame throwers pointed at the walls and ceiling, she was ready. Suddenly a call went out. One of them was alive. Diana ignoring Hicks' call for her to stay with him ran for the survivor, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the woman. "Mom?" Her voice quaked and the marines all looked at her. "Please…Kill me." Diana felt her hands shake. "It's inside me. Diana… kill me." Tears began slipping down Diana's face. Mrs. Marachuk went into cunvulsions and Diana shot her in the chest. With a hand gun but that didn't' stop the alien from bursting from her chest a moment later. The entire group collectively stumbled back. Apone grabbed a flame thrower and set it on fire. And boy did that piss the adults off. Hicks grabbed Diana's shoulder and she stumbled into his arms shaking. "We need to get out of here now." No sooner did she say that did the aliens begin to fall from their spots in the walls and ceilings killing and grabbing the marines. Diana stayed close to Hicks as the fight began. She flamed a couple around them trying to keep everyone around her safe. Vasquez and Drake began to shoot at the walls. "FALL BACK NOW!" Diana screamed at the top of her lungs. The sarge was killed as he tried to get orders from the Lieutenant. "Lets go marines!" Hicks called as he ran backwards. Diana's hands were steady though her heart was racing. She stayed next to Hicks. "HUDSON MOVE!" Hicks ordered as he shot at an alien. Little did he know that there was one right be side him. Diana pushed him out of the way and took a spear tipped tail to the hip. SHE screamed and cut off the tail before it could do any damage. She ran to catch up with them as they ran down the hallway. She kept her flame thrower flaming as she ran into the armored vehical. Vasquez was in shock about Drake dying and Hicks was trying to close the door when an alien stopped him. "It's in the god damn door!" Diana held the handle shut as Hicks shot it. "EAT THIS!" he blew its head off but some of the blood got on Hudson. "Ripley go go go!" He shouted as the door closed. Diana was tossed to the side but sat down as Hicks came over to her. He saw the tail end in her hip. "Don't worry it hit the bone, no major damage." He nodded and ran to the front. When the vehical stopped Diana looked at Hicks and then to Gorman who was unconscious. "Hey, hey look. The sarge and Diechrick aren't dead man, their signs are real low but they ain't dead." Vasquez stood straighter. "Then we go back and get them." Diana arched her eye brow. "Fuck that I ain't going back!" Hudson said Vasquez frowned. "We don't leave people behind!" Ripley glared at them. "You can't help them!" She yelled. "You can't." Diana nodded sadly. "Right now they're being cocooned just like the others…" Hicks looked broken and Diana felt a pang of guilt. Hudson was loosing his cool again. "Oh, Dear Lord Jesus, this ain't happenin', man." Hicks sighed. "God Damn it." Hudson continued his rant. "This can't be happenin', man. This isn't happenin'." Diana sighed and looked back down at the tip of the tail embedded in her leg, she would need some morphine.

Hicks walked over to Diana and looked at her hip again. And she laughed. "I guess I'm rather injury prone today." He shook his head. "You saved my life." Diana shrugged and looked away. "It's what I do." Hicks put hand on her shoulder. "We have to get this out." Diana nodded as he moved down to her leg. "You called that woman back there mom…Was she you're mother." Diana shook her head. "No, I've known her for seven years, since I was thirteen…when I was first assigned this planet. She was Newt's mom." Hicks nodded and pulled out the tail. "I'm sorry." Diana shrugged. "So am i. had I been awake I could have prevented her death." Hicks nodded. "Diana held up a slightly melted blade. "Sorry bout You're knife, it was the first thing I could reach." Hicks nodded and set it aside. "Glad it could be of some use." He began wrapping up her hip. "We'll stitch it up later." Diana nodded and looked at Hudson. "We better wrap that Hudson, it'll burn more if its in the air." Hudson's eyes widened and he sat down as Hicks began to wrap his arm. Newt came over and hugged Diana. "I thought you would die." Diana hugged the young girl. "Don't you know, I'm indestructible, you can knock me down and spear me, but I get right back up." The little girl smiled and nodded and began watching as Hicks wrapped Hudson's arm. Vasquez tapped the ceiling. "Alright We've go seven caisters of CN-20. I saw we roll them in there and nerve gas the whole nest." Hicks looked at Vasquez and nodded. "It's worth a try, but we don't know if it'll affect them." Hudson huffed. "Let's just bug out and call it even. Why even talk about it?" Ripley made herself known once again. "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit." Hicks looked at Diana and she nodded. Then she and Ripley at the same time said. "It's the only way to be sure." Ripley stared at Diana and Diana stared at Ripley before smiling. "Looks like we have something in common." Hudson looked at them like they were nuts. "Fuckin' A" Hicks just stared at Diana and she shrugged. "I want them dead." She simply said. "Hold ,hold on one second." Burke said standing up. "This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it." Ripley shook her head. "They can bill me." Burke took a deep breath. "OK, look. This is an emotional moment for all of us, okay? I know that." Diana stood, ignoring the pain in her hip. "How the hell is this an emotional moment for you?!" Hicks arched an eyebrow though he knew what Diana said was true, Burke had lost nothing. He remained silent and Diana nodded. "That's what I thought." Burke sighed again. "I was just saying that we shouldn't make snap judgments okay. This is clearly an important species we're dealing with and I don't think you or I or anybody has the right to arbitrarily exterminate them." "WRONG!" Ripley and Diana said again in unision. Vasquez nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Watch us." Hudson glared at Burke while Hicks continued to work on his arm. "Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events but we just got our asses kicked, pal!" Hicks finished and looked at Burke. "I'm not blind to what's going on…" Burke said looking around. "But I cannot authorize that kind of action I'm sorry." Ripley looked around in disbelief and Diana stepped closer to Hicks. "Well, if I am correct…" Diana looked at Ripley. "I believe that this was an operation under military jurisdiction." Ripley nodded and Diana continued. "So I believe that Corporal Hicks has authority here." Burke looked at Diana in exasperation. "Corporal Hicks is…" Diana cut him off. "Next in line of command, am I right corporal?" Hicks looked at Diana then looked down. "Yeah…yeah, that's right." Burke nodded again and looked down. "yeah, Ripley, Diana, this is a multimillion dollar installation, OK? He can't make that decision. He's just a grunt." Diana stood straighter and glared at Burke who turned to Hicks and waved his hand. "No offence." The rest of the marines glared as well. "None taken." Hicks said through clenched teeth. Diana could tell he made a decision. "Ferro, do you copy?" Diana was relived to hear the woman's voice over her radio. "Standing by." Hicks nodded. "Prep for dust-off. We need immediate evac." Diana smiled. "Roger. On our way." Ferro said. Hicks continued to Burke. "I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit." He glanced at Diana and tilted his head. "it's the only way to be sure." Diana smirked and began getting ready. "Let's do it." He said and walked to go get a stretcher for the Lieutenant.

They walked slowly and cautiously away from the protection of the vehicle. Vasquez was in the front guiding them and Diana in the rear for protection. All the others, besides Ripley and Newt, helped to carry the Lieutenant. "Let's go. Pick it up, Hudson." Hicks said to the slowest person. "Pick it up baby." Once they got to a realitivly flat area not far from the vehicle Hicks looked around. "All right. Set him down here." They did as they told and Hicks walked a couple steps forward before lighting a flare and throwing it a couple feet away. They then stood and waited for the ship. Diana next to Hicks and smiled at him she saw the ship rise up and sighed. They were getting away from this rock. Then it began the ship began to fly erratically, Diana's eyes widened as it hit a rock. Diana distantly heard Ripley yell 'RUN.' Diana took a deep breath grabbed Hicks' hand and jumped behind the rock that Ripley and Newt were at. He wrapped his arms around Diana and Newt and pressed them close to the rock. He pulled away after the explosion and he, Diana and Ripley looked at the ship in Shock. Hicks kicked a piece off metal off and ran over to the Lieutenant to see if he was okay. Diana followed him and was checking everyone over for injuries. Diana helped Hicks pull a flaming piece of metal off of the lieutenant. Hudson stood and began to freak out again. "Well, that's great. That's just fuckin' great, man. Now what the fuck are we supposed to do? We're in some real pretty shit now, man!" Hicks agrily pulled on Hudson's chest plate. "Are you finished?!" Hudson nodded and backed away. Vazquez looked around at the damage and shook here head. Hicks looked at Diana. "Are you alright?" She nodded and he asked the others the same, they all answered yes. Hicks nodded and began to stomp out the fires. Diana tried to work quickly knowing that it would be dark soon, and then the aliens would come out to play. Hudson started up again. "That's it man! Game over, man! GAME OVER! What the fuck are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?" Diana pulled out her gun and stuck it in the mans face. "If you don't shut up right now, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger." Everyone stopped and looked at her knowing that she was serious and Hudson nodded and shut up. Diana sighed at the peace and looked around. "It'll be dark soon we better get back." The remaining marines looked at her. "those creatures…" Burke interrupted her. "Xenomorphs." Diana glared at him. "What the fuck ever, come out at night. We gotta make a safe spot, cause now that they know you're here they're gonna be coming." Hudson was about to open his mouth again but Diana rested her hand on her gun and he closed it. Hicks nodded. "Everyone back to the vehicle and load up. We leave now." Diana nodded and limped over to him. Hicks nodded to her and looked at her hip, she had bled through her bindings. "We need to get you some morphine." Diana shrugged and began walking to the AV. Hicks caught up with her easily and picked her up and carried her to the AV. Diana wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes tightly. "It's okay I won't drop you." He whispered into her ear. Diana hesitantly opened her eyes and looked at Hicks. His face was dirty and set in a grim expression but he was still as hansom as he was when She first met him. He walked into the AV and Hudson and Ripley looked at him. Hicks nodded. "Go." Ripley nodded and drove the AV back to the main building.

When they got there the small group of survivors went to the partally sealed off area. And closed the storm shutters. They were in the main ops room brining in all the weapons they could salvage. Hudson put down another large box on the table. "That's everything right? This is absolutely everything we could salvage out of the APC wreckage." He began to take stock of what they had. "We've got four pulse-rifles with about fifty rounds each. That ain't so good. We got fifteen of these M-40 grenades." Newt went to pick one up and Hicks stopped her. "Don't touch that. Dangerous, honey." Ripley looked at the weapons. "Is that the only flamethrower?" Hicks nodded. "Yeah. It's only half-full but it's functional. And another one's damaged I don't know about that one." Diana stood from the chair she had been placed in. "I have a couple stashed away." Hicks walked over to her and gently pushed her back down into the seat. "You need to rest. Does Newt know where they are?" Diana hesitantly nodded and looked at Newt. "Honey I know I told you not to touch the weapons, but I need you to show Hicks where I put all of them okay?" She nodded and Diana looked at Ripley. "Go with her. Don't let anything happen to her." Ripley nodded. "You can count on me." After a couple of minutes they returned with two more flame throwers and a couple of out dated pulse rifles. "Now for more good news." Dwayne Hicks began. "We got four of these robot sentries with display and scanners intact. They really kick ass. I think they'll come in handy." Diana nodded and Ripley once again looked at the weapons, she was probably thinking the same thing that Diana was, these weren't going to last long. "How long after we're declared overdue can we expect a rescue?" Dwayne looked down then around until his eyes landed sadly on Diana. "Seventeen days." Hudson looked up sharply. "Seventeen days? Hay, man, I don't wanna rain on your parade but we're not gonna last seventeen hours. Those things are gonna come in here like they did before, and their gonna…" Ripley grew irritated at him again. "HUDSON! These two girls survived longer than that with no real weapons and no training. Right?" Ripley looked down at Newt and Diana smiled as Newt saluted Hudson. Hudson looked like he was about to break. "Why don't you put her in charge?" Ripley stared hard at the man. "You better just start dealing with it, Hudson. Deal with it, cause we need you and I'm sick of your bullshit." Hicks looked over Ripley's shoulder at Hudson, and Ripley continued. "Now get on a terminal and call up a floor plan file. Do you understand? Construction blueprints. I don't care. Anything that shows the layout of this place. Are you listening?" Hudson nodded. "Yeah…" Ripley took a breath before continuing again. "I need to see air ducts, electrical access tunnels, sub-basements, Every possible way into this complex. We don't have much time." Hudson looked around. "OK." He stood and looked at Ripley. "OK, I'm on it." Ripley looked at him. "Hudson! Just relax." Hudson nodded and took a deep breath. Bishop walked over. "I'll be in med lab. I'll check on Gorman, continue my analysis." Ripley didn't even look at him. "Fine, You do that."

Some time had passed and Diana was resting her head on Hicks shoulder and they were looking around. "How long have you been a marine Diana?" Diana yawned and shrugged. "Since I was six. After my parents died." Diana felt Hicks lips brush her forehead. "I'm sorry." Diana shrugged. "I don't really remember them." Diana stretched a little and Jumped when Hudson whooted. "I found them, found the floor plans!" Hicks stood and helped Diana walk to the screen. They were looking at the lay out and Diana pointed to a channel on the plans. "This service tunnel is how they're moving back and fourth." Hudson nodded. "That's right. It moves from the processing station right into the sub-level. "Come down on that. OK, come over. Hold it Go back." He directed Ripley who had the remote. "Punch that in there." Hicks moved his arm to reveal a curious Newt and he picked her up and sat her on the table. Diana smiled at him. Hicks pointed at something. "NO its back here." Ripley moved the screen. "OK." Diana looked at the prints. "Well there's a pressure door at this end. Couldn't we put a remote sentry unit in the tunnel and then seal that door?" Hicks nodded looking thoughtful. "Yeah that'll work but we gotta figure on them getting into the complex. Ripley nodded. "That's right, so we repair the barricades at these two intersections." Hicks nodded. "Right." Diana cut in. "And weld plate steel over these ducks her and here and here." Diana pointed to places on the screen. Ripley smiled at Diana. "Then they can only come at us from two corridors." Diana nodded and pointed to said corridors. Hicks smirked started to see. "Right. Then we put the other sentry units here and here, right?" He asked looking to Diana she nodded and he smiled. "Outstanding. Now all we need is a deck of cards." He stood straight again and looked at Hudson and Vasquez. "Let's move like we've got a purpose people." Hudson stood. "Affirmative." Newt looked at Hudson and then the map. "Affirmative." Diana smiled at the little girl who had become like a daughter to her. Diana stood and walked with hicks to the main room in OPS. He pulled out the Robot sentry's visual guides and Arming devises and started to set them up with Diana's help. Diana didn't have her helmet on so she couldn't hear was Hudson had said. "Roger. Stand by. Arming now." He said into his radio. "Test it, Hudson." Diana smiled at Hicks when the test worked. Hicks looked at her and then to the door. "We have to go seal the barricades." Diana nodded and slowly stood, there was little pain in her side now and Bishop had applied a quick healing salve to it so the muscles were already repairing themselves.

Hicks hit the barricade. "For what its worth." He pulled something out of his pocket and looked at Diana. "Here, I want you to put this on." Diana looked at it and then to Hicks. "What's it for?" Hicks looked at her in the eyes. "It's a locator. Then I can find you anywhere in the complex on this." He held up a small tube like thing. Diana smirked at him. "It's just a precaution." Diana nodded. "Thanks." Hicks looked down. "Doesn't mean we're engaged or anything." Diana laughed a little and he smiled "All right, what's next?" Diana looked at the map then down the hall. "The other barricade." Hicks almost groaned. "Hey don't look like that. At least you have me for entertainment." Hicks shook his head and looked at her. Diana stuck out her tongue and smiled. "Come on babe, we gotta move." Diana and Hicks looked at each other and Diana blushed and looked away. Hicks placed a thumb under her chin and pulled her face up to look at him, For a moment they almost kissed but Ripley walked over to check up on them. "I'm sorry." She said realizing she was interrupting something." Diana blushed again and pulled away, her hand lingering on Hicks' thigh. "It's okay, we've gotta get back to work."

Newt was falling asleep in the chair she was in and Ripley picked her up, Diana took off the tracker that Hicks had given her and gave it to Ripley. "Put this on her please?" Ripley smiled and nodded, she knew how truly close the two where and she wasn't about to deny them anything. When Ripley came back out they were in the med lab around the Lieutenant. "The molecualar acid oxidizes after the creature's death, completely neutralizing it." Ripley looked at bishop and then the floor. "Bishop, that's very interesting but it gets us nowhere. I'm trying to figure out what we're dealing with. Lets go through it again. They grab the colonists they move them over there and they immobilize them to be hosts for more of these." Diana looked at the tank. "It would mean there would have to be a lot of those parasites." Diana shuddered Ripley nodded. "One for each colonist. That's over a hundred at least." Bishop looked at her. "Yes that follows." Ripley continued. "Each one of these things comes from an egg right?" Ripley turned around. "So who's laying these eggs?" Bishop shrugged and shook his head. "I'm not sure. It must be something we haven't seen yet." Hudson looked up and around. "Hey maybe it's like an ant hive." Vasquez shook her head. "Bees. Bees have hives." Hudson looked at her. "You know what I mean. There's like one female that runs the whole show." Bishop nodded. "Yes. The queen." Hudson continued. "Yeah. The mama. And she's badass, man. I mean big." Vasquez looked at Hudson again. "These things ain't ants." Hudson sighed. "I know that." Ripley looked at Bishop. "Bishop, I want these specimens destroyed as soon as you're finished with them is that clear?" Bishop looked at the ground. "Mr. Burk gave instructions that they were to be kept alive for return to the company labs. He was very specific about it." Diana and Ripley looked at each other, there was no way they were going to let this happen. Diana stood and walked out the door. "BURK!" Ripley looked at her in surprise before following.

"Look ladies those two specimens are worth millions to the bio-weapons division. Now If you're smart, we can all come out of this heroes and we will be set up for life." Diana looked at Ripley. "You're crazy Burk. Do you know that?" Ripley questioned. Diana looked at Ripley then to Burk before saying. "Do you think you can get a dangerous organism like that past ICC quarantine?" Burk looked smug then. "How can they impound it if they don't know about it?" Ripley looked pissed. "But they will know about it, Burk. From me." Diana stood. "From us. Just like they'll know you were responsible for the deaths of one hundred fifty-seven colonists." Diana said anger radiating from her. Burk was in a hole. "Wait a second." He stood Diana stood taller. "You sent them to that ship." He looked at Diana. "You're wrong." Ripley stepped in. "We just checked the colony log directive dated 6-12-79, signed Burke, Carter J. You sent them out there and didn't even warn them. Why didn't you warn them Burke?" Burk walked away some. "What if that ship didn't even exist? Did you think about that? I didn't know. So now if I made a major security situation out of it everybody steps in and there's no exclusive rights for anybody. Nobody wins. I made a decision, and it was wrong." Diana slamed him into a wall. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me, you've killed all of these people for a _PERSENTAGE?!_" Diana slammed him once more before storming out of the room. A moment later Ripley joined her and the alarm for the sentries went off. They looked at each other for a moment before running to Ops. "What is it What's going on?" Hudson asked. Hicks looked at the screen. "They're coming." Diana stood behind Hicks and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Where?" Hudson continued asking. "In the tunnel" Hicks replied. "He looked at the screens. "here we go." The guns had begun to fire. "A and B gun tracking and firing. Multiple targets." Diana swallowed hard and squeezed Hicks shoulders through the armor he wore. "Look at those ammo counters go." Hudson said looking at said counter. "B guns down fifty percent." Hudson looked at Vasquez. "Man it's a shooting gallery down there." Everyone was staring at the screens nervously. "sixty rounds left on B…forty…twenty…ten." He sounded nervous.  
"B gun's dry. Twenty on A….ten…Five….That's it." Hicks leaned backwards and looked at Diana. She was worried, but ready. "Jesus they're wall to wall in there." Hudson said glancing at the readers again. A loud thump made Diana jump and the others looked at each other, they were at the pressure door. "They're at the pressure Door." Ripley said, Diana rolled her eyes, way to point out the obvious. Hudson was quiet for a moment. "Man, listen to that." He said quietly. Bishop came over the com system. "Bishop here. I'm afraid I have some bad news." Hudson rolled his eyes. "Well, that's a switch." Hicks stood and walked out of the room to where Bishop had directed them, Diana followed at his back as well as the others. When they arrived where bishop was one of the storm shudders were down. And the blue light of the night shone through. Ripley after a couple of moments of staring out the window grew impatient and looked at Bishop. "It's very pretty, but what are we looking for?" Just as she finished talking a jet of steam burst into the air and Bishop pointed to it. "That's it. Emergency venting." Diana sighed and Hudson, like always, had to put his doom and gloom in. "That's beautiful, man. That beats it all." Hicks sighed and looked out the window. "How long till it blows?" Bishop looked out the window as well. "Four hours." Diana grabbed Hicks' hand and squeezed it. He looked at her and squeezed it back. "We'll get out I promise." Diana nodded, though she knew in all likeliness they wouldn't get off the planet. "With a blast radius of thirty Kilometers equal to about forty megatons." Hicks shook his head and smirked. "We got problems." Hudson was still freaking out. "I don't fucking believe this!" Hicks shook his head. "Vasquez close the shutters." Diana sighed and followed Hicks out. Ripley looked around in exasperation. "Why can't we shut it down from here?" Bishop looked at Ripley. "The crash caused too much damage. An overload was inevitable at this point." Hicks stopped and began to listen. And Diana sighed as Hudson started up again. "Oh, man, I was getting short. Four more weeks and out." Hicks looked down and huffed. "Now I'm going to buy it on this rock." Diana set a hand on Hicks' shoulder and gripped it. Vasquez growled. "Give us a break." Hudson ignored her and continued. "For more weeks. Oh, man." Ripley looked at Hicks and Diana. "We need the other drop-ship form the Sulaco." Diana nodded. "Can't you bring it down on remote?" Hudson started freaking out again. "HOW?! The transmitter was on the APC. It's wasted." Ripley was irritated. "I don't care how. WE better think of a way." Hudson continued. "Think of what? We're fucked! We're doomed!" Hicks stared yelling at Hudson. "Shut up! What about the colony transmitters?" Diana nodded. "There's an uplink tower at the other end." Bishop shook his head. "The hard-wiring between here and there was damaged. We can't align the dish." Diana sighed and shook her head. "Somebody's gonna have to go out there take a portable terminal and patch in manually." Ripley said to the group. Hudson shook his head. "Yeah, sure. With those things running around? You can count me out." Hicks glared at Hudson. "We can count you out of everything." Diana stood straighter. "I'll go." Ripley looked at Diana. "What?" Everyone got quiet. "I said, I'll go." Hicks shook his head. "No. you're not going out there, you are no where near in good enough condition." Diana shook her head. "This isn't about me Dwayne…I've got to make sure everyone gets off this rock." Bishop shook his head. "You can't go." Diana threw her hands up in the air exasperated. "And why the hell not?" Bishop smirked. "I'm the only one qualified to remote-pilot the ship." Hudson jumped on the idea. "Yeah, right man. Bishop should go." Everyone looked at Hudson. "Good idea." Bishop shook his head. "Believe me, I'd prefer not to. I may be synthetic but I'm not stupid." Diana nodded and limped over to him. She hugged him great-fully. "Thank you Bishop." He nodded and petted her hair. "Any time kiddo." Diana smirked and pulled away. "I'm not that young." Hicks nodded. "Alright we're wasting time now, lets get moving." Diana nodded and looked at the plans, she immeadatily found a tunnel that would lead Bishop to the tower. "Here, it cuts through the other room." Hicks looked at her and settled a hand on her lower back. "You really would die for anyone here wouldn't you." Diana nodded and smiled at him the others left the room and Hicks pulled Diana against him. "Please be careful. I don't want to lose you." Diana nodded and rested her head against his chest. "You too. I can't lose the perfect man now that I've found him." Hicks' arms tightened around her. "I'm not perfect." Diana smirked up at him. "I know…" He frowned a little. "But you're close enough." Hicks smiled and pulled away. "Lets go."

Using a cutting torch they managed to cut through the pipe and look into it. "How long?" Ripley asked Bishop as he stuck his feet into the pipe. "The conduit runs almost to the uplink assembly on hundred eighty meters. Say forty minuets crawling there, an hour to patch in and align the antenna, thirty minutes to prep the ship, and about fifty minutes flight time. Diana took a deep breath and let it out. "That's cutting it a little close." Vasquez handed Bishop a gun and he looked at it a moment before handing it back to Ripley. "Good luck." Ripley and Diana said in unison. They looked at each other and laughed. "Ripley you have to stay outa my head." Bishop smirked at them. "See you soon." With that the plate was set back in place and Vasquez began welding it shut. Diana sighed and stood. "Let's get back to ops." The alarm sounded again and Diana bolted out of the area to Hicks. "This is unbelievable." Diana stood behind him and grabbed her weapon things could get messy. "Twenty meters and closing. Fifteen." Diana put a hand on his shoulder. "How many are there?" Diana asked. Hicks looked at the screen. "I can't tell. LOTS." He stood straight and Diana's breathing became heavier as she got prepaired for battle. "D gun's down fifty percent." He glanced at the readers. "C gun's right behind it." Hudson doom and gloom moment, again. "It ain't stopin' them. Jesus, it ain't stopping 'em." Hicks was growing worried. "A hundred and fifty rounds on D." Hudson scooted closer. "Come on baby. Come on." Hicks gritted his teeth and Diana gripped her outdated rifle harder. "One hundred rounds." The caution went off warning of low ammo. "D gun's down to twenty." Diana adjusted her rifle ready. "Ten….Damn it!" Hicks grabbed his new rifle and nodded at Diana, together they began walking to the door. "Wait! They're retreating." Ripley said, halting them. Hicks looked at the screens and Ripley sighed. "The guns stopped them." Hicks looked harder. "You're right." Everyone relaxed and Diana slumped against Hicks. "for a moment there, I thought we were going to walk to our deaths." Hicks wrapped his arms around Diana and held her close still looking at the screens. "Next time they walk right up and knock." Ripley nodded. "Yeah, but they don't know that." Diana stood straight up again but staid against Hicks. "They're probably looking for other way to get in." Ripley nodded. "That'll take 'em a while." Hudson got cocky. "Maybe we got 'em demoralized." Vasquez turned and looked at Hudson. "Shut up." Hicks turned and looked at the pair. "I want you two walking perimeter." The looked at him for a moment of disbelief. "MOVE." They hesitantly walked away. They returned a moment later with their weapons and Hicks shook his head. "Hey listen…We're all in strung out shape but stay frosty and alert. We can't afford to let one of those bastards in here." The two nodded and headed out. Ripley took a sip of her coffee and Diana tipped her head to the side. "Would you go check on Newt? I'm sure you could use some rest too." Ripley nodded and walked away it was only Diana and Hicks in the room. "You should get rest too. How long's it been since you got any sleep? Twenty-four hours?" Diana looked at the floor and then back up at him, for once her fear shone through to her eyes. "Dwayne, I'm not gonna end up like the others…" Diana looked Hicks in the eyes. "You'll take care of it, won't you?" Hicks looked at her and nodded, the expression on his face said love but Diana didn't want to believe it. "If it comes to that, I'll do us both." He nodded then shook his head. "Let's just make sure it doesn't come to that, all right?" Diana nodded and smiled a little. "Alright." Hicks looked down at Diana's gun and shook his head. "This won't do." He took it from her then held up his own gun. "I want to introduce you to a personal friend of mine. This is an M-41A pulse-rifle, ten millimeter with and over and under 30 millimeter grenade launcher." He pointed to the parts then held it out to her. "Feel the weight." Diana took it in her hands and smiled. "It's light for its size." Diana suddenly got a sly thought. "So…You going to show me how to use it?" Hicks smiled and Diana held it up. "Pull it tight in here. He put a hand on her side and one on the gun, and pushed it against her shoulder. The warmth of his hand burned through her clothing and to her skin. Diana tried to keep her breathing steady. "Right, Lean into it." Diana adjusted herself. "All right, It will kick some." Diana nodded and Hicks pointed to a red number on the bar. "When the counter reads zero here, you…" Diana moved the gun. "Press this up?" Hicks nodded smirking lightly. "That's right. Get another one in quick. Slap it in hard." Diana nodded and pushed the magazine back in. Hicks dropped his hand. "Now you're ready to rock 'n' roll." Diana looked at the grenade launcher. "What's this." She was enjoying playing stupid. "The grenade launcher. I don't think you want to mess with that." Diana pouted and looked at him. "Hey you might as well show me everything. I can handle myself." Hicks smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I've noticed." His hands wrapped around her again, this time his left hand grazed Diana's breast and she turned to look at him. He looked at her for a moment before hitting the safety on the gun and kissing her. Diana was glad he put the safety on cause once he kissed her she dropped the gun on the table and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dwayne pulled her tightly against him and kissed her with everything he had and Diana gave it right back. After a moment Diana and Dwayne pulled away breathing hard. Diana felt dreamy and Dwayne leaned in and kissed her again, pushing her against the wall. Diana gasped in pain when his hip armor hit her injured hip. He pulled away wide eyed. "Diana I'm sorry are you okay?" Diana was wincing in pain and gritting her teeth. "I'm fine." After a couple moments she stood straight and winced. "See. Fine." Dwayne shook his head and turned around. Diana limped over to him and wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. "I really am okay Dwayne." He smiled at the sound of his name on her lips. Diana let him go and he turned around, pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently- afraid she might break. Some one cleared their throat across the room and Hicks pulled away. It was Burke. "What do you want Burke?" Diana asked non to politely. Burk bowed his head, I just came to say that Diana should probably get some rest, she has been awake longer than any of us." Diana narrowed her eyes. What was he getting at, what ever it was Hicks was falling for it. Dwayne looked down at her, she was tired he could tell, her whole body posture said exhaustion. "He's right Diana. You should get some rest." Diana nodded then in front of Burke went up on her tippy toes and kissed Hicks' lips. She grabbed her new pulse-rifle off the table and a radio transmitter. "Wake me in an hour Dwayne." The Lieutenant was right behind Burke as Diana walked by, and he kept his head down. Diana walked through the double doors and down the hall to med bay where Ripley and Newt were fast asleep. Diana saw Vasquez in the hall way and they nodded to each other. "Diana." Vasquez called before Diana walked in. Diana turned on her heal and looked at the woman. "Yeah?" Vasquez looked over to where Burke and the lieutenant had been. "Keep your eyes peeled. I don't like that man." Diana nodded and looked up at the ceiling. "Keep an ear out Okay?" Vasquez nodded and walked on resuming her perimeter. Diana sighed and walked into the room through another and into the room Newt and Ripley were sleeping. Diana set her gun down before entering the room and looked at the bed. It was empty. Knowing Newt Diana looked under the bed and saw Ripley's arms around the girl. Diana smiled. Ripley looked so much like the girl's mother. It was really obvious why Newt had taken to her. Diana smiled and sat on the floor next to the bed alert and ready for anything, but soon that faded and she drifted off into alight sleep.

A little over an hour later Diana jerked awake. She sensed movement at her side and looked under the bed Ripley was awake too. "Did you hear it too?" Diana asked, Ripley just pointed to the now empty and on the floor containers for the face-huggers. Diana pointed to Newt and stood. Ripley would wake the girl and Diana would search for the creatures. Diana didn't see either of them. Suddenly Ripley gasped and one flew out at her. Diana's eyes widened and she dragged Newt out from under the bed and pushed her behind herself for protection. Diana ran to the door only to find it wouldn't open. Ripley joined them a second later as the Creature scampered off. The second one was still missing. Diana and Ripley tried manually opening the door. It wouldn't budge. Diana turned her back to the door and inched her way across the glass. Ripley started to bang on the glass and Newt followed suite. Diana kept visual for the face-huggers. Ripley walked over to the camera and started waving her arms and screaming. "Ripley!" Diana yelled, the woman turned around. "If Burke is behind this he will have turned off the monitor." Ripley looked down and cursed. "Break the glass!" Newt said Diana shrugged her shoulders and reached for a chair. It was worth a try right? Ripley also grabbed a chair and they nodded. "On three…One…Two…THREE!" With all their might they hit the glass only for it to bounce back. They tried again and it didn't work. They all scanned the room and Diana spotted the fire alarm. "Ripley." The older woman looked at her. "Do you have a lighter?" Diana asked as she pointed to the alarm. "I'm scared." Newt said Diana nodded as well as Ripley. "I am too sweety." Ripley felt in her pocket. "Stay here Newt." She walked carefully to the alarm and Lit her lighter at once water began pouring down on them and Ripley pulled Newt into her arms. Diana stood in front of the pair and kept scanning the room. "They're coming, Newt. Oh, please." Ripley looked around and a face hugger jumped out at her Diana jumped in front of it and blocked her face. Fighting with the creature for her life. It's tail wrapped around her neck and began constricting so she would open her mouth. Diana fought against it and Ripley grabbed it as well. Diana kept shaking her head. "Newt…" She managed to get out weakly. Ripley looked over at the girl and saw her struggling with her own Face-hugger that she had pinned to the wall. "Protect…Newt." Diana coughed out. Ripley nodded and grabbed Newt and pushed the cart harder against the creature. Gun shots echoed out and Hicks dove through the window. Hicks rushed to Diana's side and began to pry the creature from Diana's neck. Hudson ran to Ripley and Newt's aid and killed the face hugger shooting it multiple times. Ripley and Newt scuttled against the wall and held each other. But Diana's battle wore on. Diana could barely breath and she was looking at Hicks with desperation in her eyes. "Kill….Me." She whispered. Vasquez who was helping her shook her head. "No way man. You're not dead yet." The lieutenant came over as well and began to help pry it lose. They were fighting a losing battle when suddenly it came lose. "OVER THERE!" Hicks said/yelled and Vasquez nodded. "Yeah!" Hicks fought to keep the creature from everyone. "Ready?!" Vasquez had her gun ready. "Yeah!" The lieutenant and Hicks threw the face-hugger across the room and Vasquez shot wildly at it. Hicks pulled Diana against him and Diana weakly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hudson!" Hudson nodded. "Yeah, all clear. Nailed the other one. It's history man." Newt ran over and wrapped her arms around Diana. Diana turned some, panting hard and wrapped on arm around the girl. Hicks had his arms around the two protectively. "Jesus." He said and looked down at her. Diana coughed a couple of times and Ripley came over. "Burke. It was Burke." Hicks looked at the others and nodded, they would get him. Until then he kept his arms around the woman that mattered the most in his life. "Told you it wouldn't come to that." Diana nodded and rested her head against the crook of his neck. "I knew you'd come." Hicks nodded. "Every time." Diana began coughing again and Hicks stood bringing her and Newt with him. "Common lets get you two dry."

Diana re-dressed in a pair of pains and a t-shirt provided by Hicks. Ripley had given Newt her leather coat to keep warm in and they were all walking around Burke. Who was looking rather nervous. Diana was in Hicks's lap sporting a nice new bruise around her throat. Every time she tried to move Hicks would hold her tighter against him. Everyone was just staring at Burke. Diana winced as she took in a breath and coughed. Hicks nuzzled her neck and stood leaving her in the seat. "I thought I almost lost you." Diana smirked and went into a coughing fit. In between the coughs she managed to speak. "No…I'm…to good…for…that." Hicks smiled and kissed her forehead. Hudson looked at Diana and nodded, he had come to like and respect her, even though she could be slightly psychotic at times. Hudson glared at Burke, he had dared to hurt her and the child. He pointed the gun at Burke's face. "I say we grease this rat-fuck son of bitch right now." Hicks walked away from Diana and shook his head. "It just doesn't make any goddamn sense." Diana could barely talk so Ripley stood up and began from what they learned from their earlier conversation with Burke. "He figured that he could get an alien back through quarantine if one of us was impregnated…what ever you call it." Burke sat back in his chair and shook his head. "And then frozen for the trip home." He arched an eyebrow. "Nobody would know about the embryos they were carrying. Diana and Newt." Newt looked like a scared rabbit on the table, to the others she looked calm but Diana knew that look. Diana slowly stood and limped over to the table with Vasquez's help. Diana managed to mutter a small thank you to the woman before wrapping her arms around the child she saw as a daughter. Hicks shook his head. "Wait, no. We'd all know." Ripley kept her eyes on Burke. "Yes. He could only do it by sabotaging certain freezers on the way home, namely yours." She looked around the room and then back at Burke. "He could jettision the bodies and make up any story he liked. " Hudson walked back over and Diana grabbed Hicks hand, her nerves were frayed to the extrems. "FUCK! He's dead." Hudson started pushing his gun back into Burks face. "You're dag meat, pal." Burke finally found his voice and sat up in the chair he had been cowering in. "This is so nuts. Listen to what you're saying. It's paranoid delusion. It's really sad." Hicks looked down his anger reaching a peak. Burked looked at Diana. "It's pathetic." Ripley was about to say something but Diana cut her off. "Is any one else hot?" Everyone shook their heads, it was actually rather cool." Hicks felt her forehead. "Why are you feeling okay?" Diana nodded. "Except for a sore neck I'm fine. I just noticed that Burke was sweating like a pig. In a cool envornment, his eyes are darting around for a way to escape. Paranoid delusion. No. Paranoia Maybe. But it's kept me alive. And it makes you see things others may not. Burke before my parents died they were police officers, I can read a person every way to Tuesday. You're guiltier than a snake." Burke broke eye contact and looked at the floor. Diana nodded her voice weak. "Yeah, I wouldn't be able to look at me either." Hicks shook his head as he came to a decision. "All right, we waste him." Hicks grabbed Burke by the collar of his shirt. "No offense." Diana grabbed Hicks' arm. "No, he's got to go back…"The power cut and Diana stilled her heart rate picking up. "They cut the power." Diana nodded to Ripley and the woman grabbed Newt. Diana weakly stood and touched Hicks' shoulder. Hudson looked around wildly. "What do you mean 'They' cut the power? They're animals." Hicks looked at Vasquez and Hudson. "I want you two with trackers checking the corridors. MOVE!" Diana looked at Lieutenant Gorman. "Gorman, watch Burke." Gorman nodded and pointed a hand gun at Burke's head. "I got him." Diana looked at Newt as she grabbed her rifle. "Newt stay close to Ripley." Diana gimped over to Hicks and checked her weapon. "You ready?" Hicks looked at her. "I want you to stay at the back of the group." Diana gritted her teeth. "Diana please don't argue." Diana bowed her head. Then looked him in the eye. "If you die. I'm going to kill you." Dwayne hicks smiled and hugged her. Diana felt tears rising. "I don't know how and I don't know when. But somewhere in the middle of all this…I fell in love with you." Hicks lifted her chin up and kissed her lips. "I love you too." Dwayne put on her, now functioning headset, and Diana tested it. "Hudson, Vasquez you read me?" Diana smiled when Hudson replied Loud and clear." Diana smiled at Hicks and hugged him, fearing this may be their last moments together. Diana took a breath and stepped back. "Anything?" She asked the two running a patrol. Hudson answered first. "There's something….It's inside the complex." Diana's eyes widened. "You're just reading me." Vasquez said seeing nothing on her monitor. "NO. It ain't you." Diana looked at Hicks and chambered a round. "they're inside the perimeter. They're in here." Diana took a breath and Ripley came over. "He needs to calm down." Diana nodded and turned her attention back to the pair. "Hudson, stay cool or I'll castrate you. Vasquez what've you got?" After a moment Vasquez replied. "Hudson may be right." Diana nodded and looked at Hicks. "I want both of you back here now!" Diana's heart was pounding hard in her chest, her hands were steady though the rest of her body shook. "The signals weird, Must be some interference or something….There's movement all over the place." Hudson said starting to panic. Hicks took charge again. "Get back to operations." He looked at Diana. "It's game time." She nodded and looked at Ripley and Newt, she tossed Ripley a pulse rifle and looked down at Newt. "Newt. If something goes wrong, find a small place to hide." The little girl nodded and Diana walked with Dwayne to the other side of the room. "We need to seal the door." Hicks jogged the rest of the way to the door and called the others in. "Come on. Come on, get back." Once inside Vasquez grabbed the cutter and began welding the door shut. Hudson and Hicks were holding it shut just in case. "Work Fast." Hicks said as he started welding the top, Vasquez was sealing the bottom. Ripley looked at Newt. "Cover your eyes, Newt. Don't look at the light." Newt nodded and hid behind Ripley, successfully blocking the light from the torches. "Movement. Signal's clean. Range, twenty meters." Diana's brow furrowed. "They found a way in, something we missed." Ripley said 'NO SHIT." Diana thought. "We didn't miss anything!" Hicks said working faster, Diana looked around wildly feeling helpless. "Eighteen, seventeen meters." Diana thought hard as Hudson announced the range, what could they have missed? "Something under the floor, not in the plans…" Ripley said looking at her range meter. "Fifteen meters." Diana took a quick calming breath. "Ripley…Diana." Newt said scared Diana put a hand on the girls shoulder. "We'll be okay." Hicks gritted his teeth. "Definitely inside the barricades." Newt grabbed Ripley's arm, trying to protect the woman. "Let's go." Ripley looked at her range meter again. "That's right outside the door." Diana looked at hicks her eyes wide. "Get BACK!" Hudson was really getting nervous. "This is a big fucking signal." Hicks continued working. "How you doing, Vasquez." The woman grunted . "Almost there." And after a moment. "That's it." The two pulled back and ran back to the group. Diana grabbed Hicks' wrist and squeezed it lightly. "Twelve meters." Hudson announced, and at this point Diana just didn't want to know. Everyone backed away from the door. Diana closed her eyes breathing hard. "eleven. Ten." Vasquez gripped her weapon tighter. "They're right on us." Hudson's eyes were glued to his tracker. "Nine meters." Hicks looked around at everyone. "Remember short controlled bursts." He was trembling a little, Diana took a deep controlled breath. "Eight meters." Everyone's eyes were fixed on the door. "Seven." Diana's heart felt like it would burst. "Six." Diana looked over at Hicks. "That can't be! It's inside the room!" Hudson looked from his tracker to Diana. "It's reading right!" Hicks looked at Hudson. "You're not reading it right!" Diana looked at Ripley. The woman looked down at her tracker and nodded, hers was reading the same. "Five meters, man….Four. What the hell." Diana looked around wildly and her eyes landed on the ceiling. "Oh fuck me!" Hudson looked up and so did the others. "Oh my god." Hudson said losing his cool. Hicks shouldered his weapon and climbed up onto a table. "Give me the light." Ripley handed him the flash light, as he lifted the tile. He cautiously looked around before falling backwards and shooting at the ceiling Diana quickly lifted him and stepped in front of him, shooting at the Aliens that were falling from the ceiling. "Ripley get Newt to safety NOW!" Everyone was shooting and yelling, the aliens were screaming, it was hard to hear yourself think. Diana shot at the ones closest to Newt and Ripley. "Medical! Everyone Get to MEDICAL!" Diana tried to yell over the madness. There were hundreds filling the room, falling on the dead and jumping at the marines. Vasquez was the furthest to the group. "Tighten up! Stay together!" Diana yelled, at least if they were in a tighter formation they would be able to protect each other better. Hicks was getting hit hard with the aliens, they had been separated. "DWAYNE!" Diana fired at one that was behind him. "REGROUP! Tight o formation NOW!" Hicks nodded. "Come on! Let's go! Fall Back!" Hicks ran over to where Diana had grouped Hudson, Vasquez and Gorman. Gorman fell back having run out of hand gun rounds to Ripley and Newt. Hicks looked at Diana and she looked at him, her focus breaking for a moment. The floor grating under her opened up and an Alien grabbed her ankle. She screamed and shot it, its acid blood got on her leg and she screamed again. Hicks pulled her up and they looked at each other panting. Hudson nodded and they began falling back, but when he got to where Diana had been the alien struck again and Grabbed Hudson. Pulling him to his death. Hicks let go of Diana and grabbed Hudson's arm, Diana did the same but she knew they were too late, he was already half way into the hole. When the aliens clawed hand grabbed Hudson's face Diana apologized and shot him, it was a better death. Diana had tears running down her face and Hicks nodded, she had done what he could not. Diana shot at an alien that was right on them, and covered Vasquez. Diana stood and ran/limped down the corridor. She couldn't let pain slow her down. Yet the feeling of her blood draining down her ankle was distracting. "Come ON Hicks GO!" Vasquez shoved Hicks into the hall and fired at the aliens still pouring into the room. Hicks grabbed Diana and half carried her to the door. "It's locked!" Ripley said upon their arrival. Hicks immediately began cutting away at the lock. Diana shot at the aliens from the hall way as Vasquez began using her grenades. Vasquez came running down the hall. "Got it! Lets go!" Hicks announced and grabbed Diana and ran with her into the room. "SEAL IT!" Hicks yelled to Vasquez, she didn't need to be told twice and immediately began sealing said door. Hicks grabbed knelt down in front of Diana and wrapped up her ankle with a shred of fabric. A thump at the door made everyone jump, but Vasquez continued sealing the door. "Get back!" Hicks ordered and everyone backed off the other door as he began trying to open it. "Ripley! This way." Newt opened the air vent and climbed in Diana looked at the others. "What ever you do… do it fast!" Vasquez said still sealing the aliens out. Diana looked at Ripley and nodded. "Go! Hicks! We don't have time for a door! Come on everyone in side now! MOVE!" Newt went in after Ripley and Hicks pushed Diana in next before following, Gorman came then Vasquez. But Diana didn't think about it, she just kept her eyes focused on Newt. She was Directing Ripley to the landing field. 'good girl." Diana thought, she had taught Newt everyway into and out of the place and was happy that it was coming to good use. Diana lost sight of Newt for a moment but she knew where she was going. "Hicks stay close." Diana's head was pounding her leg was throbbing and she wanted to stop, but stopping would mean death, and Diana didn't want to die. Diana could hear gunshots behind her and picked up her pace, the aliens were gaining on them. "Bishop Do you read me? Come in. Over." Hicks called from behind her there was static for a moment before Bishop answered. "The ship is on its way. ETA, sixteen minutes." Diana almost sighed in relief but they weren't out yet. "Good. Stand by there. We're on our way!" Diana's heart pounded harder when she heard Vasquez shooting more. The aliens were moving faster then they were. Diana tried to move faster, Hicks and Gorman easily kept up. They reached the intersection and stopped for a moment. Gorman looked concerned about Vasquez. "Vasquez MOVE!" Diana distantly heard Ripley yell for Hicks. She knew that they were getting close. Diana took a couple of breaths before running on, followed by Hicks and Gorman. Hicks stopped after a while when they didn't hear Vasquez behind them. "VASQUEZ!" Hicks yelled , praying for an answer from his teammate. Gorman looked back then slapped Hicks' shoulder. "Go!" He ran back to Vasquez and Diana pushed on. Diana ran on only hearing one gun shoot. Was Vasquez alive? After a moment Hicks and Diana arrived at where Ripley and Newt were. Only a couple more minutes of travel and they would be picked up. Hicks helped Newt reach Ripley and Diana kept guard waiting for Gorman and Vasquez, though part of her knew that they would not be coming. Suddenly there was an explosion, Hicks fell to the floor as did Diana, Ripley managed to hang on to a ladder, but Newt fell into the fan and held on to a vent shaft that sloped steeply downward. "HICKS!" Diana yelled as she scrambled to get to Newt. "HELP!" Hicks stopped the rotator with his pulse rifle Ripley grabbed the sleeve of the jacket and Diana grabbed her wrist. "We've got you Newt. Newt slipped from the Jacket and Diana fell partly into the hole, but Hicks caught her. "I've got you Diana." She hissed in pain, but gripped firmly onto Newt. "Newt. Give me your other hand." Diana's hand was slippery with blood and her grip was slipping. The young girl tried to swing up her hand and missed wrenching herself out of Diana's grasp. She screamed as she fell. "NEWT!!!!!!" Diana struggled. "Pull me up!" Hicks pulled her up and Diana looked wildly around before her gaze landed on Ripley. "Did you put the tracker on her?" Hicks pulled out the cylindrical object when Ripley nodded." Come on. We can find her!" Ripley looked down into the hole. "Stay where you are newt!" Diana took a couple of deep breaths trying to block her pain. "DIANA! RIPLEY!" Diana looked down into the hole. "We're coming!" Diana looked desperately into Hicks' eyes. "We'll find her." Diana nodded and began climbing the ladder to the next ventilation shaft. She crawled inside and began walking forward, barely waiting for Hicks. "Diana…" She stopped walking when Hicks called her name. His hand gently touched her shoulder. "She'll be okay." Diana nodded. "But for how long Dwayne. Those things are out there…" Hicks pulled her into a momentary hug before pulling away and moving on. "Come on we're getting close." Diana took another breath and moved on, they only traveled another ten meters before Hicks kicked out the vent and climbed out stumbling a little. Hicks helped Diana out so she wouldn't hurt herself further and Ripley came out behind her. After a momentary pause to figure out where they were, the small party followed Hicks in a jog to where Newt was. Diana flinched when she saw stairs approaching, this was about to get seriously painful. The earlier adrenaline rush had worn off and the numerous wounds on her body were throbbing in resent for the constant movement. Hicks noticed her hesitation and picked her up, Diana tried to pull away but he started down the stairs, barely hindering his movements. Though every step he took sent waves of pain through her body. "I'm sorry Diana." He said gruffly in her ear, she was starting to get heavy. Diana took a deep breath before rolling out of his arms and on to the railing which she slid down one floor. "Which way Hicks?" He looked at her a moment before smirking and shaking his head, she truly was amazing. "This way." He took the lead again and started running down the hall way. "She's close." Diana picked up her gimp. "Newt!" Diana looked around wildly. Then distantly she heard Newt calling her and Ripley. "Where're are you baby?" Diana called, hicks was keeping a visual on the walls and ceilings, his gun at the ready. "Can you hear me?" Ripley called taking Hicks's other side. "NEWT!" Diana was starting to get worried, what if one of the aliens had already gotten to her? What if she was dead?" "Here! I'm HERE!" She heard Newt call. "Where?!" Diana called back looking around. Then on the floor she saw them, Newts fingers sticking up between the cracks. Diana fell to her knees and gripped the girls fingers for dear life. "We're here Newt. We'll get you out. You okay honey?" The girl nodded and Hicks tried to pull up the floor. "We're gonna have to cut it." Diana groaned and Ripley looked down at the girl. "Newt Climb down, honey. We've got to cut through." The little girl nodded and slipped back into the water as Hicks pulled out the cutting torch. "See, told you she'd be okay." Diana hesitantly nodded and ran her and through his hair before picking up her gun and standing guard. "You better hurry, those things are bound to be coming." Ripley tried to keep Newt in place. "Newt? No don't move. Stay very still." Diana glanced down at a focused Hicks. "Okay…" She heard Newts small voice just above the cutting torch. "We're almost there, hang in there okay?" Diana said, then she heard the beep from Ripley's side. Diana's heart raced more. "Shit." She muttered and looked at Hicks. "I love you but please hurry up. We really don't have much time, probably two minutes." Hicks tried to work faster. "I know." Diana looked at Ripley worriedly. "I mean it!" Diana looked around settling on one knee, just in case they came from the ceiling. "Ripley how far?" Diana's voice trembled a little and Ripley looked away from the tracker. "Eight meters. Newt just stay still." Diana saw it moving under the floor. "NEWT!" Diana heard the girl begin to scream. "NO NEWT!" Diana couldn't shoot it at the risk of hitting Newt. "HICKS!" he gritted his teeth. "ALMOST THERE!" When he pulled away Diana tried to kick it in, but with her bad leg it was no use, Ripley and Hicks took over and soon had a large gap, but they were too late, Newt was gone. Diana almost fell into it. "NEWT!" She looked around but the girl was no where, only the head of her doll was floating in the water. "NO! NEWT! NO! NO!" she tried to climb down but Hicks held her up. "Lets go!" Diana struggled. "NO! They don't kill you! She's alive! She's alive!" Hicks wrapped his arms around the woman he had so quickly become attached to and held her close trying to calm her. "All right, all right, I believe you. She's alive." He shook her once to break her from the panic. "But we've got to go now!" He dragged her up and they began running for the exit, if they could lose the group then they could get away and have enough time to get Newt. If they were lucky. Hicks found an elevator and pulled her into it Ripley following stunned. He hit the button a couple times before the doors started to close. They all looked at the ceiling in panic as an alien grabbed the doors, trying to climb in. Diana, before Hicks could, kicked it in the face as hard as she could with her good leg and shot it, no acid made it into the elevator and the doors closed. Hicks pulled Diana into a rib crushing embrace and held her. "Don't ever do that again you could have gotten it's blood on you." Diana shook her head, she had no strength left to hold herself up. "So could have you." Hicks tightened his grip and kissed her head as the doors opened. Diana stood there, not having the strength to move. "Dwayne, I can't…." He just nodded and picked her up, running with Ripley to the landing zone to Bishop. "How much time?" Hicks asked the android looking worriedly down at Diana. Bishop nodded. "Plenty. Twenty-six minutes." Ripley looked at Hicks who nodded. "We're not leaving." Bishop looked at Ripley in shock as Hicks ran Diana onto the drop ship that had just landed. "We're not?" Bishop asked putting down his tools and catching up with the three.

Bishop helped Hicks put the barely conscious Diana into a seat and strap her in. "I don't know why she's alive…" Bishop said to Hicks as he got the med kit. Diana drowsily looked at the android. "Survival instinct. I had to protect Newt…" Her voice hitched. "And I failed." Hicks put his head on hers. "We'll get her back before anything happens." Diana gave a curt tired nod and Bishop went to the pilots seat to begin the flight to the nest. "Ripley…" Diana's voice was getting weaker and the older woman barely heard her. "Yeah Diana what is it?" Diana grabbed the other woman's wrist. "I know this is asking a lot of you, but please, find Newt. If she is…" Ripley cut her off. "I'll take care of her." Diana nodded and let her hand fall away. Hicks tore her pants leg and removed what was left of her boot, her ankle had vishious burns on it, but luckily there wasn't too much damage, she would eventually heal. "How bad is it?" The pain was the only thing keeping her awake now. "It's not bad." Hicks ran a hand over her tired and pain creased face. "I'm gonna go get you some morphine." Diana shook her head. "No, that's not a good idea." Hicks shook his head and grabbed the morphine anyway, he filled up a high dose and injected her weak body with it. After a moment Diana's whole body lurched and she shook some. "What's wrong?" Hicks looked scared and Bishop looked over his shoulder. "She's allergic." Hicks looked terrified and he looked around for anything that would counteract it. "Calm down, she's not highly allergic, this will pass in a few minutes once it has thoroughly spread through her system." Hicks nodded and grabbed Diana's hand. "I'm sorry D." Diana laughed as the drug to affect. "I feel funny. I can feel it in my veins." Hicks squeezed her hand and Diana yawned and began drifting. "Dwayne…Will you stay with me?" Hicks looked at Ripley, whom looked very determined at that point. "I'll be fine Hicks, stay with her." Bishop landed and got out of his seat as Ripley finished equipping herself with weapons. "Ripley…" Ripley shook her head and stuffed grenades into a pouch. "I don't want to hear about it. She's alive." Bishop looked down and shuffled his feet. "In 19 minutes this area is gonna be a cloud of vapor the size of Nebraska." Ripley looked at Hicks who was now stitching up a completely numb Diana. "Hicks don't let him leave." He nodded and wiped off some blood. "We ain't going anywhere." Diana groaned and he turned his attention back to her. "Don't be gone long. We gotta get off this rock." Diana roused herself from her slumber. "Be careful Ripley. Don' let'm get you…" Hicks almost laughed, she sounded like she was talking through a sponge. Ripley nodded at the girl and left determined to find the girl and come back.

Hicks turned to Bishop and then to Diana. "Can you help me?" Bishop nodded and looked at Diana, technically she should be dead, the multitude of wounds on her body factored in with bloodloss, she shouldn't have been able to move from the room. Was it her will that had kept her alive? "Should we move her?" Diana groaned. "No!" Bishop nodded, she was barely coherent. "Moving her would only cause more injury with out a stretcher. We'll have to do the minimal treatment here, then wait till we get back to the main ship to do the rest." Diana lolled her head to the side. "Won't make…it…fix now." Bishop grimaced, this would be utter torture for her. "Are you sure?" She nodded once and Hicks began carefully unstrapping her. "We have to work quickly then." Bishop cleared the counter and pulled out the advanced med kit for emergency procedures like this. Well kind of. Hicks carefully lifted Diana but by now, even with the morphine she would feel an excruciating amount of pain. The first step she bit her lip and whimpered the second was coupled by a jolt of the ship from the unstable factory and she screamed and fell unconscious. In the long run it was good that she had fallen unconscious, they had to stitch her up, open up old wounds and clean them. It was tired and bloody. But bishop used his inhuman speed to get what he could done. But soon things were getting tossed all over the place so he pulled away and injected her with another shot of morphine. "That is all I can do here." Hicks nodded and carefully shifted the woman into his arms and strapped her down. "We need to get off this thing or it'll collapse. It isn't stable enough to hold us anymore." Hicks looked at Bishop and then down at the ramp. "if you try to leave I'll blow your cybertronic brain out." Bishop nodded and strapped himself into the pilot's seat. "I'm not going to leave with out her Corporal Hicks." Hicks nodded and Bishop took off. Hovering where they would be safe from any falling debris. "Do you love her?" Bishop asked from the pilot's seat to Hicks, who was now sitting beside Diana and holding her hand. "I think I do. I don't know how it is possible to fall in love with a person you have only known for a short while, but she is strong and… I love her." Bishop nodded then smirked. "I find her eyes a strange anomaly…I doubt that you could see it in the dim lighting but she has one green eye, and one brown eye." Hicks tilted his head to the side and shrugged he himself had brown eyes, but never thought much of them. Hicks looked down at Diana who was now wearing his shirt, it wasn't perfectly clean but it was better than nothing. He brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead. "There they are." Bishop said and began took off from the spot he had momentarily landed to pick up Ripley and Newt. Hicks helped Newt up first, then Ripley. Once they were up they ran into the next compartment. "Punch it Bishop!" Ripley called once Hicks joined them. Bishop didn't hesitate but the ride out was bumpy as the last minutes seconds counted down to the explosion. Then it happened, the site exploded and Hicks covered Diana's body with his own keeping her from jolting around to much in her sleeping state. Ripley just held on to Newt and prayed that they would be okay. "It's okay. We're okay!" Bishop said over the intercom. Hicks sighed in relief and flopped down next to Diana, they had a fifty minute ride back to the ship and he wondered if she would wake at all before they landed. Hicks let his guard finally drop and fell into a blissful sleep for the rest of the ride, letting his body recuperate.

When they landed Ripley and Hicks looked at Diana worriedly, she hadn't stirred at all the ride up. "Don't worry, she's just out. I gave her another shot for the pain. She had started to squirm in her sleep." Hicks began to lift the bar holding her in but Bishop stopped him. "We need a stretcher to carry her up to medical." Newt was just staring at her sister's tattered body. "She'll be okay Newt." Ripley said and pulled the girl close. "She'll be okay." Hicks looked at the three and then to Diana. "I'm going to go get a stretcher." Bishop nodded and Hicks left the ship, never going near the back where the queen alien was lying in wait for them. Hicks walked to medical, not knowing that as he walked through the corridors that Bishop was being torn in half, at least not until an alarm went off. Hicks look up and groaned and ran to the nearest weaponry. Once he was armed he ran back to the docking bay and was startled to find the queen alien chasing Newt. He took careful aim then fired, hitting the back of the creature, but not damaging it. The queens hide was harder than the offspring. The queen turned to him and hissed and swatted him to the side with her tail rendering him unconscious.

Diana woke, the metallic screech of the alien queen. She groaned when she tried to move. But slowly inch by torturous inch Diana made her way out of the drop ship, grabbing a pulse riffle as she did so. When she stepped out of the drop ship, Diana was nearly swept off her feet, the docking bay was opened. Diana looked around and saw Bishop holding Newt, and Hicks in a corner regaining his consciousness. But ripley was no where to be seen. Diana added things up quickly and ran to the hatch. The queen alien was holding onto Ripley's foot, she was the only thing keeping the alien from being ejected. Diana, regardless of the drugs in her system, took steady aim and fired shooting the queens head several times. The queen immediately let go and flew off into space. Ripley looked up at Diana and closed the hatch, Diana staggered then fell to her knees. Hicks was at her side catching her before her head could hit the ground. Diana caressed his face. "What would you do with out me?" She mumbled before settling her head on Hicks' shoulder. Hicks picked her up and smiled down at her, Diana drowsily smiled back up. "Lets go get you cleaned up." Diana scoffed at him. "You're dirty too." Hicks smiled. "I know." Diana blushed. "I'm injured." Hicks kept walking. "I'll help you." Diana frowned at him. "Nice try lover boy. But I'm too tired right now to deal with you." Hicks stopped walking and laughed. "I was only kidding. Ripley will help you I'm sure." Diana looked at the older woman. "She'll take good care of Newt…" Diana sighed and Hicks hugged her. "Newt will always love you Diana." Diana nodded and Hicks carried her to the showing station with Ripley and Newt. "I'll go get Bishop." With that Hicks walked out and let the women shower and enjoy their time together.

Diana watched Hicks leave and sighed. "You love him." Ripley said as she started the water so it would get warm. "With all my heart." Diana replied, she began stripping off her clothes then noticed she was in Hicks' shirt. She smiled for a moment before pulling it off. Diana gasped when she saw her own body. She was covered in stitches and bandages she sat down in shock and looked at herself in the mirror. Ripley noticed and looked over at her. "I'm going to be horribly scarred…I know it sounds vain but I'm just…" Ripley rubbed her back and hugged her. "You're beautiful." Diana shook her head and gently pulled off the bandages, crying as she saw the damage that had been done to her body. By the time that she was done undressing her wounds Ripley and Newt had left, leaving Diana to her thoughts. Diana stood letting the water run over her body as she cried. She would never be whole again. Her hip wound burned when the warm water hit it but Diana didn't care she was a scared mess. Diana gasped in shock when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and a pair of warm lips kissed her shoulder. "I was getting worried about you." Hicks said in her ear, his voice was deeper than usual and Diana shivered. "I'm fine." Hicks just held her. "You were crying." Hicks' hand ran over one of the wounds that would scar. "They will heal. Yes they will scar but you won't be any less beautiful in my eyes." Diana tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "You need to rest." Hicks said and began pulling away. "I need to shower first." Diana said pouting Hicks froze and Diana felt his grip tighten ever so slightly. "Go shower stinky. I'll be fine on my own." Hicks reluctantly walked to the other side and turned on the water to begin showering. Diana reached for the soap and built up a lather in a wash cloth. When she got to her back Diana found that because of the bullet wounds to her right arm she couldn't reach, She had been so focused on herself she didn't see Hicks move until he took the cloth from her hand and begin to scrub her back. Diana shivered again. "Are you cold?" Hicks took a step closer and Diana's breathing hitched for a moment, she could feel the heat radiating off of him. After a minute or so he was finished And Diana turned and took the cloth from him and began scrubbing his chest, shoulders and arms. She tried so hard not to look down, for her own sake. Taking a deep breath Diana moved to his back scrubbing his tanned skin. Diana stopped when Hicks grabbed her wrist. "Diana…" Hicks turned around and looked at her. "Dwayne?" he closed his eyes for a moment then opened them and kissed her. Diana dropped the wash cloth and wrapped her arm around his neck, her right hand on his chest. Hicks deepened the kiss and pushed her against the shower stall wall. Diana could feel the hard length of him against her abdomen and groaned. "Dwayne…" Hicks smirked and his lips left hers and traveled down to her neck and nipped it, before kissing her there sucking on the skin roughly. Hicks settled his hand against her shoulders and jerked away when she gasped in pain. Diana panted and kissed him once more. "You are just going to have to be patient Dwayne. Once we get back to earth I'll be all patched up." Hicks nodded and Diana grabbed a towel, she needed to redress her wounds now. "Take a cold shower." She called in a sing song voice as she left. Hicks hit his head against the stall and cursed. This was going to be along ride home.

Diana walked out and to medical where she saw Ripley bandaging a cut. "Hey Ripley, can you help me rebandage myself?" Ripley nodded and Diana walked over to the table and dropped the towel. Ripley gasped in shock and Diana groaned. "Please don't ask how I'm a live." Ripley nodded and got the bandaging kit. "You're an amazing soldier." Ripley said as she began to bandage Diana's shoulder, going around her breasts and over her shoulder and down her arm. "I listen to my instincts." Ripley touched her neck. "And what is this from?" Diana blushed and slapped a hand over the hicky that Hicks had given her in the shower. (((XD Hicky Hicks! XDD))) Ripley laughed at the flustered girl and continued to bandage her. Hicks eventually walked in and Diana covered her legs up they were still bandaging her hip. "Hey Dwayne…Listen, I just wanted to thank…" Hicks cut her off and took the bindings from Ripley. "Newt wants you." Ripley nodded and left Diana and Hicks alone. "Diana, you don't need to thank me for anything. You saved my skin multiple times." Diana smiled at him and caressed his rough face. "You gave me hope…so we even then?" Hicks nodded and finished off wrapping her hip. "You have my heart you know." Diana said looking at the towel in her lap. Hicks looked at her and tipped her head up. "You have had my heart since we first met." Diana smiled and chuckled. "Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?" Hicks smiled and laughed then moved down to her ankle. Diana hissed when he began to wrap it. When he was finished he set a set of clothes on the table. "These are for you." Diana smiled and hugged him. "Thank you Dwayne." Hicks pulled away and winked. "Don't take to long okay?" Diana nodded and smiled as Hicks left the room. Diana looked over at the pile of clothes then pulled out the underwear that was inside. Diana pulled them on, followed by a pair of Hicks' shorts and his t-shirt. Diana smiled at herself then left the room, her hand over the cherry mark on her neck. Hicks was waiting outside the room for her and Diana excepted the hand he offered to help support her weight. She slung her left arm over his shoulder and leaned on him a little as they moved to the sleeping chamber. Diana looked at Newt who was climbing into the bed, until she saw Diana that is, then she ran over to Diana and hugged her. Diana knelt down and hugged her. "Hey baby. You ready to have good dreams?" The girl nodded and looked Diana in the eye, with too old eyes, eyes that had seen too much. "Are you sure I'll dream?" Diana smiled at the girl and held her close for a moment. "I promise that you'll have good dreams." Diana kissed the top of Newt's head and sent the girl to bed, getting Hicks to help her stand only once the girl's eyes had closed. "You don't want her to know how bad of shape you are in." Ripley said as Hicks carried her over to a chamber. Diana nodded and stayed leaning against Hicks. "Stay with me?" She asked in a low voice that spoke of her fears. Hicks wound his arms around her waist. "Always." Ripley sighed and looked at Newt. Diana looked at Ripley and sighed. "If I don't survive the surgery back on earth….take care of her, please?" Hicks tightened his grip. "I have a few thousand stored away in a bank account, it will help should I…" Hicks growled. "You won't die." Diana sighed and leaned against him. "We don't know that. It's a long ride home, anything could happen and I want Newt to be safe." Hicks nodded and gently picked Diana up and placed her in the freezing sleepy thingy (sorry I'm not really sure what they are called) and climbed in next to her. Hicks and Diana were on their sides curled up into one another and Ripley sighed. Technically they shouldn't do that, but hey they had already survived everything else that could have happened. "Night Dwayne." Diana said as the chamber began to close. "Good Night Diana." Hicks said in her ear. Diana yawned and grimaced at the throbbing of her wounds. Hick's hand went to her side and wrapped around her. "I love you." With those final words the chamber closed and the two fell into a chemical induced sleep. They were finally safe…Or where they?

AN R&R thnx


	2. Author note

OKAY GUESS WHAT? I'M EXCITED! I JUST WROTE A SEQUAL TO THIS STORY CALLED To Escape CHECK IT OUT. IT SHALL HAVE LOVE, ADVETURE, CHAOS, DEATH AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE!

Thank you for your time ^^ Ashten Knight


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